The Star Chamber was an English court that sat at the royal Palace of Westminster, from the late 15th century to the mid-17th century, and was composed of Privy Counsellors and common-law judges, to supplement the judicial activities of the common-law and equity courts in civil and criminal matters. It was originally established to ensure the fair enforcement of laws against socially and politically prominent people sufficiently powerful that ordinary courts might hesitate to convict them of their crimes. It was mainly a court of appeal and could impose any penalty, except the death penalty, in its own right. At various times it had sub-courts for particular areas, notably for appeals of 'poor man's causes'.
Starry vault of the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua, Italy, frescoed by Giotto, a common ceiling motif of the period throughout Europe
A document of 1504 showing King Henry VII sitting in the Star Chamber and receiving William Warham, Archbishop of Canterbury, Richard Foxe, Bishop of Winchester, and clerics associated with Westminster Abbey and St Paul's Cathedral, as well as the Mayor of London
Engraving of the Star Chamber, published in "Old and new London" in 1873, taken from a drawing made in 1836
In law, common law is the body of law created by judges and similar quasi-judicial tribunals by virtue of being stated in written opinions.
A view of Westminster Hall in the Palace of Westminster, London, early 19th century
A 16th century edition of Corpus Juris Civilis Romani (1583)
USCA: some annotated volumes of the official compilation and codification of federal statutes.
The Constitution of India is the longest written constitution for a country, containing 395 articles, 12 schedules, numerous amendments and 117,369 words.